Caladium plant named ‘Florida Red Ruffles’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Caladium plant named ‘Florida Red Ruffles’, characterized by its compact and densely-foliated plant habit; upright, outwardly arching and symmetrical plant form; red and dark green bi-colored leaves that are lanceolate in shape with undulate margins that give the leaves a ruffled appearance; and tolerance to low temperatures and full sunlight conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladiumplant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referredto as lance-leaf Caladium, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivarname Florida Red Ruffles.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breedingprogram conducted by the Inventor in Bradenton, Fla. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create densely-foliated compact Caladiumcultivars with lanceolate-shaped leaves. The new cultivar originatedfrom a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1982 of a proprietarylance-leaf Caladium selection identified as code number GC80-287, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Caladium cultivar RedFrill, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivarFlorida Red Ruffles was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Bradenton, Fla., in 1985.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tuber divisions since 1985,in Bradenton, Fla., has shown that the unique features of this newCaladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Caladium has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilizer rate andtype, and water status, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Florida Red Ruffles’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ as anew and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact and densely-foliated plant habit.

2. Upright, outwardly arching and symmetrical plant form.

3. Red and dark green bi-colored leaves that are lanceolate in shapewith undulate margins that give the leaves a ruffled appearance.

4. Compared to other known Caladium cultivars, relatively tolerant tolow temperatures.

5. Tolerant to full sunlight conditions.

When grown in side-side comparisons in Bradenton, Fla., plants of thenew Caladium differ from plants of the female parent, the selectionGC80-287, primarily in leaf color. Plants of the new Caladium have redand dark green bi-colored leaves whereas plants of the selectionGC80-287 have green-colored leaves with red-colored veins andwhite-colored interveinal areas.

Plants of the new Caladium are most similar to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Red Frill. However, when grown in side-sidecomparisons in Bradenton, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differ fromplants of the cultivar Red Frill in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Caladium are more compact and not as open as plantsof the cultivar Red Frill.

2. Plants of the new Caladium have broader leaves than plants of thecultivar Red Frill.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium have undulate margins giving aruffled appearance to the leaves whereas leaves of plants of thecultivar Red Frill have smooth margins and leaves are not ruffled inappearance.

4. Plants of the new Caladium have stronger petioles than plants of thecultivar Red Frill.

5. Plants of the new Caladium are more low temperature tolerant thanplants of the cultivar Red Frill.

Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Rosalie, not patented. When grown in side-side comparisons inBradenton, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differ from plants of thecultivar Rosalie in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Caladium are much more compact, shorter, and not asopen as plants of the cultivar Rosalie.

2. Plants of the new Caladium are more densely foliated than plants ofthe cultivar Rosalie.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium have undulate margins giving aruffled appearance to the leaves whereas leaves of plants of thecultivar Rosalie have smooth margins and leaves are not ruffled inappearance.

4. Plants of the new Caladium have much stronger petioles than plants ofthe cultivar Rosalie.

5. Plants of the new Caladium are more low temperature tolerant thanplants of the cultivar Rosalie.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Caladium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical 7-week old plant of ‘Florida Red Ruffles’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe 7-weekold plants (from planting a tuber division) grown in Bradenton, Fla.,during the summer in a shaded glass-covered greenhouse and undercommercial production conditions in 15-cm containers. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 32 to 35° C.,night temperatures ranged from 18 to 21° C., and light levels were about5,000 to 6,000 foot-candles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum cultivar Florida RedRuffles.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Caladium×hortulanum selection identified asGC80-287, not patented.

Male parent.—Caladium×hortulanum cultivar Red Frill, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By tuber divisions.

Tuber description.—Number of dominant buds per tuber: About 6 to 8.Diameter: About 3.8 to 6.4 cm. Color: Epidermis, 199A; interior, 10A.

Time to initiate roots on a tuber division.—About 8 days at 26.7° C.

Time to produce a fully rooted tuber division.—About 23 days at 26.7° C.

Root description.—Dense, thick and white to pink in color.

Plant description:

Plant habit.—Compact and densely-foliated.

Plant form.—Upright, outwardly arching and symmetrical plant habit.

Growth habit.—Mostly erect when leaves are developing, becomingoutwardly arching as leaves develop. Plants of the new Caladium aretypically grown in 10 to 15-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 28 cm from soil level to top of leaf plane.

Plant spread.—About 43 cm.

Growth rate.—Rapid growth rate; first leaf opens about 23 days afterplanting; about 7 weeks are required to produce a finished plant in15-cm container from a division.

Foliage description.—Quantity: About 27 per plant. Length: About 20.8cm. Width: About 15.3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Elongated acuminate.Base: Obtuse to cordate. Margin: Entire, undulate giving a ruffledappearance to the leaf. Aspect: Initially upright, then outwardlyarching; concave. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, durable andflexible. Venation pattern: Penniform. Color: Upper surface: Center,red, 47A; margin, dark green, 147A, about 5 mm in width; venation, sameor slightly darker than lamina colors. Lower surface: 181C; venation,same as lamina color. Petiole: Aspect: Mostly erect with slight outwardbend at leaf attachment. Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.Strength: Strong. Color: 199D with 4 to 5 darker brown, 200C,longitudinal stripes, about 0.4 mm in width, and a few elongated darkbrown, 200C, speckles.

Flower description.—Flower development has not been observed on plantsof the new Caladium.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Caladium have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Caladium.

Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have beenobserved to be tolerant to temperatures as low as 5° C. and as high as38° C. Plants of the new Caladium have been observed to be tolerant torain, wind and full sunlight conditions.

